The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-05-02

truly repented OF all his sins. At 8
o'clock in the afternoon the hall mas.
ter reported to the doctor:
"'No. $40 is dead in his cell, sir"
"'Oh, he is? Well, those that can't
live must die. We will have to 90 the
same way. Have the body put in a
coffin and carried to the dead house,
and it had better be buried assoon as
night comes
Isn't it to 60 to the colege?'
No they don't need ny more
just now
"a plain white wood coffin was tax
en- into the corridor, and the body OF
80, which was already growing rigid,
was placed in it, and the burden was
then carried to shed in the yard,
which was used for a dead house. A
convict named Saunders screwed down
the coffin lid, but before he had finish.
ed his work he dropped his tools and
ran to the doctor and exclaimed:
Il believe Harvey is in trance,
or something OF the sort, for as true
as live saw his chest heave and his
eyeids flutter as | put the cover on.
"'Bosh!' shouted the doctor.
But did sir
"'Look here, Saunders, / shall re.
port to the warden that you had best
be returned to the blacksmith shop.
When q scrub convict has the audac-
ity to stand up and tell the prison
doctor that he doesn't know his bust.
ness, one or the other should co.
But | meant no disrespect, sir.
Perhaps not; but when | pro.
nounce n man dead of tiefoid fever
aye, when have already made my re.
port to that effect-he is either dead
or Pm u cussed fool
T." Yes, sir; yes, sir. | was probably
mistaken, sir, and I'll promise that
this does not happen again. Please
forgive me, sir. | must have been a
little nervous
We'll, I'll overlook it this time,
but be more careful in future. Have
him buried as soon as dark. | don't
like the idea OF keeping dead folks
around here.
"Soon after dusk the wagon drove
out OF the prison yard with its burden
OF death, and the burial party con.
sisted OF a citizen employed for the
purpose and q trusty convict. They
had completed it when we arrived on
the ground and carefully crept TO
position within ear-shot. They were
in a hurry to have the job off their
hands, and they had not gone down
over two feet when the citizen employ
ee OF the prison said TO the convict:
""rhat's deep enough for him or any
other dead man. Nobody's to know
whether he's two o. seven feet down
"'Correct you are, replied the con-
vict as he got out of the hole. / came
near getting into trouble with the doc |
tor over this fellow
"How?'
"'As put thelid on the coffin Isaw
his eyelids flutter and his chest heave,
and | went to the doctor with it. The
old fraud threatened to take my soft
snap away
"'You might have been deceived
"'Never. I'm certain that we are
burying the poor devil alive; but that's
nothing to you or me. He'll be dead
enough by the time all the dirt is on
top OF him.
fright you are. He might as we'll
be buried alive in this hole as to die
by inches in the prison. Grab hold,
now, land we'll do him the kind turn to
let him down gently
"They made only ten minutes work
oil filling up the grave, and they had
scarcely reached their wagon when
the two OF us were throwing out the
dirt. When we came to the coffin we
lifted it out, removed the lid, took out
the body, and then the coffin was re-
turned to the grave and the dirt show.
elled back. In three-quarters of an
hour from Harney's first burial, we
had him in our quarters, and had es-
capped any chance for suspicion OF
Dody-snatching. During our last in
terview in prison, he had exacted of
me the promise that would make no
Efforts at resuscitation until twenty
Jour hours had passed. He intended
20 die for just that period of time, and
1t firmly believed his will could con-
,rol events. After twer ty-four hours :
had passed was at liberty to use any
means | thought best. We undressed
he body, wrapped it in woollen blank I
It's, and laid it on bed. On a stand .
beside the bed we placed water, wine
Ind food, and then left the room and |
urned the key in the door. This was ,
1t IL o'clock at night, and Harvey !
lad been dead eight hours. The twen- ,
y-four hours would not expire until !
hree O'Clock in the afternoon of the {
lext day. :
1--WE did not go near the room I'M :
il half an hour before the expected a
ime, and the moment we looked on :
he dead mans face we realized that \
eaction had set in. The pallor was y
color WAS returning to 4